BNW: Dark Horse
by tofu-melon
Summary: AU. /Marine Commodore Monkey D. Luffy/ doesn't care about pirates or Marines. He believes what he sees and decides good from bad by himself.


Story of Marine Commodore Luffy.  
Zoro, Koby, and Smoker make a totally special appearance. No pairing. (Maybe a smidge of _**SmokerLuffy**_?)  
Written for the purpose of entertainment and to make a line between Luffy as a pirate and Luffy as a Marine. (Not that there is a thick, solid line between the two.)

**Dark Horse**

"Oh, such a pretty blue sky..."

A sigh rang into the open air, drifting along like the waves pushing at the hull of the Marine ship that was sailing gently through the blue seas.

Out on the deck was a folding recliner with a long-limbed, slender male lounging on it, fast asleep. He had a white coat with the word "JUSTICE" draped over his head and was snoring. Loudly.

"Sir!"

With a snort and tired lip-smacking, the male pulled the coat off his face and turned his sleepy dark gaze towards the seaman recruit that just woke him up. "Hmm?"

"We recently received a report from Vice Admiral Garp about a Marine Lieutenant that's out of control in East Blue as well as the fish-man pirate Arlong taking control of a town, yet the Marines that are posted there have been doing nothing to stop it."

"Hah... East Blue, huh?" He lifted himself up and ran his hand through his dark hair; his expression was one of nostalgic peace. "That Captain Smokey guy is there, huh?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright then." He stood up, took his coat and hooked it onto his shoulders. The wind made the long cloth billow out behind him, and the sun shadowed his lean frame, accentuating the curves of his slender, muscled arms. The confident and powerful air of a born leader radiated off of him, making the seaman recruit back away in awe.

"By order of Commodore Monkey D. Luffy, set sail for East Blue's Logue Town! Send word to Captain Smokey to get prepared for an ADVENTURE!"

"Yes sir!!"

"Oh, and make a detour to Baratie. I love that place."

"... sir..."

* * *

"Captain Smokey! Let's go together! Let's go now!"

"... you..."

Luffy laughed loudly, spilling some of the tea Tashigi poured out for him. Smoker sighed, breathing out gray smoke as usual, as he lit up a second cigar. "This is my _post_, Commodore. I'm afraid I can't _afford_ to be as carefree about my duties as you are."

"It's just one or two harmless pirates I let go! No biggie." Luffy said with a nonchalant shrug, but Smoker apparently seemed to differ as he gnashed his teeth together and snarled, "You recently let Trafalgar Law escape right out from under your very nose!"

Luffy pouted and pounded his fists on the table indignantly. "So what? He was a good guy! Plus it's boring to cut off rookies before they get strong! There's no fun or romance in it at all!"

"You're a goddamn Marine Commodore!!" Smoker roared, completely pissed off by Luffy's attitude. "That son of a bitch was a pirate! Besides, you have to pluck rookies like that before they sprout! How the hell did you get your rank?!"

Luffy smiled then and gave Smoker a "v"-sign. "I took out X. Drake."

Smoker reeled in shock. "X. Drake? That traitor?"

"Yeah! That bastard killed his nakama. I can't forgive that." Luffy pounded a fist into an open palm, grinning widely. "So I made sure to destroy him right then and there. So Sengoku lets me do whatever I want, and Grandpa shuts up every once in a while."

"But he's ordering you here to East Blue to take care of a rogue Marine as well as some other Marines that seem to be slacking..."

Luffy made a face at the reminder and whined, "I don't know why Grandpa thinks I want to do this. I'm not really interested in all these jobs; I just want adventure."

Smoker smirked and laughed lowly, "Careful there, Commodore. You sound like a pirate."

"Blegh. As if." Luffy stuck his tongue out, eyes narrowed. "Grandpa would tear me to shreds if I even suggested it."

Smoker raised an eyebrow, "Isn't your brother a pirate?"

"... yeah." Luffy smiled, soft and glowing. "Ace is a pirate."

"He's strong. As a Marine you're expected to take him down as well—"

Luffy shifted, cutting Smoker off as the air in the room grew thick, and Smoker watched with startled eyes as the low-ranking Marine soldiers that were guarding the room dropped to the ground in a dead faint. He turned back to Luffy who looked no different, but his eyes...

"You're asking me to mess with my family, Captain. Family is _nakama_, and I don't betray my nakama."

Smoker lightly blew out a string of smoke. He honestly respected Luffy because of this mindset. As much as the other high-ranking officials liked to scold and spout nasty things about the commodore's rather twisted judgment, Sengoku left him as he was because of the respect he received from his subordinates and allies. Smoker, himself, would never betray Luffy, because he knew he could count on the other man to support him with just a word of "please and thank you."

Smoker crushed the tip of his still-lit cigar into the wooden table and propped his feet onto of the ashes, "Do whatever the hell you want. If you get in trouble, don't involve me."

Luffy stilled, and the pressure disappeared. "Shishishi," he grinned from ear to ear and leaned across the table and patted the top of Smoker's boots, "Hey, hey. You're coming with me remember? We'll get in trouble _together_."

Smoker lit a third cigar. "Troublesome."

* * *

"So..." Luffy looked down at the tiny, roughed up boat that was sinking faster than him in water, "you were a former pirate?"

"I told you! I accidentally rode a boat that belonged to a pirate and was stuck there for two years! My life-long dream is to become a Marine!"

"Puahahaha! You're pretty stupid! What's your name?"

"Koby!"

Luffy looked up at Smoker who was lounging comfortably under the shade of an umbrella. "What do you think, Captain?"

Smoker gave him a sideways look and said honestly, "Will you leave him out there if I tell you to?"

Luffy looked surprised at the answer, but he quickly dissolved into loud laughter, "This is why I like you best, Smokey!" he proclaimed, and Smoker turned away with a curse, trying to hide the flush across his cheeks.

Luffy looked back down at the sinking boat and the boy that was in it. "Hey, you! The one called Koby! Hang on!"

Koby shrieked, "TO WHAT?!"

Luffy pulled his cape away from his right shoulder, changing his stance and foot placement. Without warning, Luffy threw his arm forward, and Koby watched as it got longer and longer and longer... "EEEEH?!!"

"Hang on!"

Koby grabbed the hand in his face without a thought and found himself hurtling through the air without any control ("GEEEEH!!!") before he came to a complete stop with his face planted into the wooden deck .

"Jeez," Luffy said, a finger in his ear, "you're so noisy."

Koby let out a muffled scream in reply, his arms and legs flailing in the air. Luffy laughed at the sight, and Smoker sighed tiredly. "Are we on course?" he asked a petty officer that was looking through a pair of binoculars.

"Yes sir, I can see the coast. We'll be docking in about roughly 15 minutes."

"Good," Smoker replied gruffly. He sat up and looked at Luffy who was helping Koby up to his feet while the chore boys around him were cleaning up the mess their commander made. "Commodore! We'll be dropping the anchor in—"

"I heard Smokey!" Luffy called back, smiling at the white-haired captain. "Gather some troops. I have a feeling this will be messy."

Smoker, knowing an order from a higher-ranking officer when he heard it, saluted lazily and stood up to bark at the other Marine soldiers. "Fall in men! I want first and second platoon here right now!"

Luffy hummed in appreciation as Smoker did all the work for him. He didn't have a right-hand man to fall back to, so the change was nice. But...

... he had his hands tied up with another problem.

"So... Koby, right?"

The light-haired boy stiffened and nodded nervously, "Y-yes sir."

Luffy waved a hand, smiling softly to make the boy feel comfortable, "Nah, at ease. You're not part of the Marines yet. I would if I could, but the Marines are kinda stuffy, and we have to go through these things called 'background checks,' and it just gets really messy sometimes. We'll do that at the next Marine headquarters we stop at. Which is over there." Luffy pointed a finger towards the blue-green pillar that stood in the center of the island they were approaching.

Koby nervously fiddled with the end of his shirt, feeling the cold sweat run down his neck. That was one concern, but at this moment, looking at the rank on Luffy and not believing it at all, Koby stuttered, "Um... you are...?"

"Me?" Luffy chirped, turning around to look at Koby with a shit-eating grin, "I'm Commodore Monkey D. Luffy. Welcome to my barque, the Dark Horse."

* * *

"Ah, I heard the story from a little girl whose mom makes the greatest fried rice in all of East Blue. Sounds like you tied up this haramaki-guy here because he cut down your son's pet wolf?" Luffy tutted, looking disappointed. "Really, there no romance in that at all. Right, Captain Smokey?"

"Who the hell cares about your damn romance?"

Luffy laughed, "So mean," he said lightly, but trained his emotions into a line as he turned back to business. "But seriously, the reports I got were not good. I came here because there was an order of demotion on you, Captain Morgan. So either take it, or I'll kick your ass."

Captain Morgan, a big, tanned-skin man with a metal-plated chin and one hand that was replaced by a large axe, shook. His eyes were wide and his teeth were gritted together, and he looked outraged by the very idea of a demotion. "Do you know who the hell I am?!"

"Um..." Luffy looked back down at the reports, double checking. "It says Captain Morgan. Is that wrong?"

Morgan made a small noise in the back of his throat, and his face turned purple like a bruise. "I am Captain Axe-Hand Morgan!" he bellowed, raising his axe above his head and swinging it down, aiming to slice Luffy in half.

Luffy, however, was busily flipping through the reports, not even moving as the blade neared him, but his men broke from rank with a cry of "Commodore!!" and ran forward, blades drawn, to stop Morgan's blade from hitting their commander.

"That's what I said," Luffy frowned, "Captain Morgan. You're to be demoted to a Lieutenant for 'tyrannical rule of your post and attempt of dictatorship.' You'll also be removed from your post and sent to Impel Down for guard duty." The Marine Commodore closed his report and looked to the distance with a faraway look in his eyes, "Impel Down... I went there before. Worst adventure ever."

Morgan roared again, thrashing and swinging his axe-arm without control or aim. Luffy could see that he was strong, as his own men were having a hard time against him in a group, but Luffy just didn't know if Morgan was worth the effort. "Smokey," Luffy called, and Smoker stepped forward, reading Luffy's mind.

Smoker pulled out his jutte, biting down on the ends of his cigar, strode up to Morgan and tapped at one of the soldiers with the end of his weapon, "Hey. Move."

With his abrupt order, the line of soldiers quickly moved away from Morgan, resheathing their swords, and fell back into their platoons.

Smoker breathed out a gray cloud and carefully rolled his shoulders. "You're so loud," he drawled in a low tone. "You're breaking my flow, you piece of shit." And without even calling upon his Devil's Fruit powers, Smoker swung his jutte around and slammed the tip into Morgan's gut, making the heavy-set Marine let out a wheezing gasp, and he was lifted off his feet. Smoker blew the large man away into a nearby fence with that single strike and replaced his jutte into its case.

Luffy let out a low whistle, mildly impressed. "As expected of Captain Smokey."

Smoker glared at his superior, "Why can't you say my name right?" he asked tiredly, but Luffy just laughed it off and approached the huddled group of Morgan's subordinates instead. "Who's the guy with the highest rank here?"

A lean, dark-skinned Marine came forward confidently and saluted. "Sir! I am Commander Ripper of the Marine base in Shell Town!"

"Nice to meet you," Luffy greeted friendlily, saluting back. They both dropped their hands to their sides, and Luffy flipped through the report in his hand again, reading through it with a bored expression, "Mm, this says a lot of difficult things, and I don't really like what it says either. So..." without further ado, Luffy ripped the report to shreds and pressed it into an astonished Ripper's hands, "with this, you're now Captain Ripper of the Marine base in Shell Town. Congratulations."

Ripper stammered for a moment, at a loss for words. Luffy just grinned and turned back to his own troops, giving them a loud command, "Alright men! Why don't we load Captain—ah, no... prisoner Morgan onto the Dark Horse. We'll start towards Commi Island from here."

"Yes sir!"

Luffy nodded in approval as his men, as well as several of the Shell Town Marines, began to tie Morgan up with heavy ropes and drag him back to the harbor. With one business taken care of, Luffy then turned to the tied up bounty hunter with a bit of a troubled face. He did tear up the reports because he didn't care for them, but he wished he knew what to do with this one. "Haramaki?"

"What?" The other man spat out bitterly, looking cranky, hungry, and tired all at the same time. Luffy hummed softly and turned to Smoker who was busy working out technicalities with the still stunned "Captain" Ripper.

He would have to take this into his own hands.

"Wanna come get some fried rice with me?"

* * *

"Shishishi!! You're a funny guy! Why don't you come on an adventure with me?"

Luffy poured Zoro (who threatened to cut him if he called him "Haramaki" again) another glass of sake. The swordsman took it eagerly and gulped the bitter alcohol down without pause. After emptying the mug, Zoro pounded the glass onto the wooden table top and laughed along with Luffy. "You sure you're a Marine? You talk like a pirate!"

"Shut up you bastard! Have another one!"

Smoker, who sat next to Luffy, sighed and lazily sipped at his own beer. The plan was to go straight to Commi Island and arrest Arlong after this, but Luffy, after seeing Zoro, made new plans and shoved it into their already tight schedule. Smoker and the others were already used to Luffy's "my pace" personality, so it was no problem... but still...

"Smokey!" Luffy crowed joyously, wrapping a stretchy arm around Smoker's thick neck. "Have some aaaaalcohooool."

"Commodore Luffy," Koby called worriedly from the side, "you're drunk."

Luffy waved Koby's worries off with a giggle and a hiccup, "Nonsense. You just haven't been drinking enough, _seaman recruit_ Koby."

"Eh?" Koby paused at the new addition along with his name. "Seaman... recruit...? Commodore, are you...?"

Luffy smiled softly, eyes setting on Koby's shocked (and quickly reddening) face. "Screw the background check. I'm in a good mood."

Smoker gave him a stern frown at this revelation, not really opposing but still leery, "Hey, you do know if the higher-ups figure out that he was formerly a pirate—"

"'S not going to be a problem, Smokey," Luffy said smoothly, still grinning confidently. "Koby's gonna be a _great_ Marine. In fact, I'll train him _myself_."

"That's not the prob—"

"Commodore!!" Koby suddenly cried out, slamming his palms onto the table. The loud noise startled a majority of the soldiers out of their drunken haze, and they all turned to see what the banging and yelling was about. "Thank you very much for this chance!! I will never let you down!"

Smoker fell silent, and he stared at Koby with wide eyes, obviously startled. Luffy, however, only laughed as if this reaction was something he expected. "Of course! You're gonna be my right-hand man after all!"

"Oi. Aren't you taking it a bit far now, you drunkard?"

* * *

Commi Island was not too far from Shell Island. Seeing as East Blue wasn't as widespread as the Grand Line was, the fast-moving Marine barque Dark Horse saw the shoreline of their destination in under two nights as well as another ship that was heading towards the island.

"Commodore! There's fellow Marine ship just 30 yards from where we are currently!"

Luffy looked at the said craft with a pair of binoculars, reading the painted number on the hull, "East Blue Marine Ship number 15. Signal it and find out what their business is!"

With this order, the communications officer on Luffy's ship brought out the Signal Den Den Mushi and sat in front of it, hooking the listening devices into his ear securely. "What should I say, Commodore?"

Luffy crossed his arms, thinking deeply. "Hm. Ask them if they have any food supplies they'd be willing to—OW! Smokey! What was that for?"

"I was trying to hit the air next to your head. I missed."

Luffy pouted, obviously not believing that at all. "Anyway, just ask them about their business with Commi Island. It seems this is their post, but I want to make sure." While the communications officer was busy coding out the question, Luffy turned back to Smoker who was starting to gather up the troops onto the deck. "Captain, what do you know about this Arlong?"

"Didn't you read the report?"

"I tore it up."

Smoker rolled his eyes, sighing heavily. "That's right." He lit up another cigar, the second one caught between his teeth, and pulled out a stack of bounties from inside his jacket. After flipping through it a bit, he paused at one and handed the colored paper over to Luffy.

Luffy raised an eyebrow at the bounty. It was quite impressive for a pirate from East Blue, which was considered the weakest of all the four Blues. "But what's wrong with his nose? It's all jagged."

"He's a fishman," Smoker explained, regretting it instantly when Luffy's eyes brightened with a curious light. "Fishmaaan? What kind of fish is he?"

"You can't eat him, Commodore!!"

* * *

Luffy gripped his hands tightly together. Communications didn't go through, and he was forced to take the long way around as the direct path to the harbor led to disastrous effects of large underwater whirlpools appearing out of the blue.

The village they had docked at told Luffy just how bad the situation at Commi Island had gotten.

"This was formerly a village called Gosa," the woman who introduced herself as Nojiko told them with a grim expression. "The villagers here did a foolish thing, and this was their unfortunate end."

Luffy stared at the many houses, each of them broken and completed flipped over with the roof embedded into the ground. It was as if a monster had gone through and had completely defaced the village by simply flipping the earth the houses were built on.

"This is really bad," Zoro said seriously from Luffy's side, his hand wrapped tightly around his swords. "Weren't you going to find me a boat here?"

Luffy gave the swordsman a weak smile. "Sorry, Zoro. That'll have to wait."

"I figured."

The dark-haired man nodded in thanks before turning around to face his assisting Captain, "Smoker," he called lowly. The proper usage of his name caught Smoker's full attention, and he immediately snapped to attention. "Sir!"

"There is a Marine ship that is posted in this area, yet why do they do nothing about this?"

Smoker exhaled, silent for a moment with a thoughtful look on his hardened face. "Sir," he started slowly, lowering his eyes to meet Luffy's steely gaze, "I believe... that pirates are not the only ones who are malleable under the influence of some great human desire."

Luffy cursed under his breath, his hands curling into tight fists. "Do all humans have to sink so low? This selfishness... I hate it the most."

Smoker sympathized. He was one who stood for absolute justice, but he knew the thin distinction between good and evil, and it was ever so pinched and shriveled. But this was evil. Pure evil.

"I want platoons One and Two to stay in this village and help turn the houses back around. Captain, you are in charge of overseeing them. Gather up any survivors, and, use our own food provisions if we must, but I want every living body in this village fed and watered. Zoro and Koby, you stay here as well." Luffy ordered, and the leaders of the two platoons saluted him in response.

"I can come along," Zoro offered easily, always eager for a fight, but Luffy gave him a strained smile in response and shook his head. "Thanks, but it's against Marine policy to involve a civilian in our direct duties."

Luffy, after making a quick calculation in his head, beckoned his fourth platoon forward. "You guys will come with me. I will need more than two hands to load all the pirates onto the Dark Horse."

After receiving a sharp affirmative, the Commodore then called out towards Nojiko, "Take us to Arlong."

* * *

When Nojiko showed Luffy to Arlong, she did it with a heavy and guilty heart. She hated the uselessness of the Marines and her own powers, but this _boy_, wide eyed with some baby fat still attached to his cheeks, had done nothing but try to help, and she was trying to bring him to his death.

Yet she did not falter in her step, nor did she try to deceive him. Even when her mind was filled with thoughts and plans of how to steer this new group away, her (traitorous) feet led them straight to Arlong Park's door.

He asked her "Is this it?" when she paused, and Nojiko, in a steady voice, answered, "Yes."

What happened shortly after that brief conversation was something Nojiko would never forget as long as she lived.

After the boy,_ 'Luffy'_ Nojiko thought to herself, brought down the door with his bare fists (loud noises, dust rising, and bent steel...), he quickly scanned the area filled with fishmen and strode forward with heavy and purposeful steps. He came to a stop before Arlong, who took one look at the "JUSTICE" coat hanging around Luffy's shoulder and grinned, and Luffy asked lowly, "You're Arlong?"

"Shahahaha!" the fishman leader laughed, not even answering Luffy's question, "Seems like one of my men accidentally let one of these little fishies into my home."

"So you're Arlong?"

Arlong ignored Luffy's question for the second time and instead turned to one of his subordinates with a wide grin. "Hey. Kick this puny sardine out."

But Luffy moved the moment a scaly hand reached out for him. Kicking forward in a mad dash, Luffy pulled back his fist, the other hand wrapped tightly around his wrist to steady it.

Arlong saw it coming, but he couldn't move fast enough. Luffy let his fist fly loose onto Arlong's mouth, shaking his sharp teeth. The fishman flew out his chair from the sheer power behind the punch, and his heavy weight broke the stone ground as he landed with a solid _thud_. The others around them gaped in horror and shock, not fully comprehending the situation at the moment.

"Are you going to get serious and fight me yourself now?"

There was a moment of tense silence while Arlong laid on the ground, motionless. During this, Luffy pulled his coat off and threw it to one of his men, leaving him in just his loose, button-up white shirt and black slacks. Luffy rolled up his sleeves while Arlong sat up, unceremoniously brushing away the dirt and dust from his body.

"I am Commodore Monkey D. Luffy. I'm here to place you under arrest, Fishman Arlong."

Arlong spat at the ground, his saliva red with blood. "I see." The fishman grinned toothily, his eyes becoming a venomous yellow while the dark pupil elongated. "A Commodore. Then maybe I should get serious from the get-go? I'm quite busy y'know, since I do have a special guest coming today."

Luffy smiled darkly, his knuckles cracking as he curled his hands into tight fists. "I'll tell that guest you were unable to attend."

"Fuckin' sardine."

* * *

"Take his body back to the Dark Horse," he told some of his soldiers who were still able to stand after the battle that promptly followed Luffy's first punch. All the surrounding fishmen were knocked down and were being carried back to the ship, along with Arlong, tied up in chains.

"Commodore," a Petty Officer called out in worry, "you should get your wounds checked."

Luffy absently looked over the few bite marks that adorned his body. The open punctures were bleeding profusely and spouting dark red blood down Luffy's skin and into his clothes. Arlong's teeth had most probably cut some veins and arteries. _'Very serious injuries_,' Luffy noted to himself. '_Could be fatal if not treated immediately._'

As if hearing his thoughts, an old doctor from one of Commi Island's village (villagers just started to pile outside the door once they heard the rumors about a Marine beating the salt water out of Arlong) wrapped a firm hand around one of Luffy's wounds, putting enough pressure on it to slow the bleeding. "Come with me. I will treat you back at the village along with your men."

Luffy grinned brightly and allowed himself to be towed away by the old man. "Aaah, sorry to be such a burden," he said over the cheering villagers and the rustling of the many bodies being transported from one area to another.

"Nonsense, you saved us all," the doctor chided, shoving people out of his way and shouting orders at them to bring the injured back to his clinic.

"Shishishi! Just doing my job!"

They were walking out of Arlong Park's doorway, when a resounding and horrified scream echoed through the demolished courtyard. "W-WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE?!"

Luffy looked back and blinked as the first thing that came to his sight was the traditional Marine flag that was flying in the wind, attached to the mast of a small dinghy. The one who screamed was a mousy looking man with a gray Marine coat in the stead of the usual Marine uniform. His black, beady eyes were darting from place to place at the sprawled bodies of all the fishmen around.

"Are you the Marine commander who is in charge here?" Luffy asked, ripping his arm out of the doctor's grip, and he began to approach the other Marine, who stiffened at his approach.

"Wh-who are you?!" the man sputtered noisily. He was getting flustered. There were Marines everywhere, and he came here to make business with Arlong—What was going on?! "How dare you speak to me that way! I'm Captain Nezumi I'll have you know!"

Luffy raised an eyebrow and was about to introduce himself with a pleasant "Nice to meet you!" tagged along at the end, but something heavy, but comfortingly familiar, fell onto his shoulders, and Smoker's deep voice rumbled from behind him, "Here is your coat, Commodore."

Nezumi's eyes widened and he gave out a stammered, "C-C-Co—"

"Smokey!" Luffy chastised, careful not to get blood on his coat as he whirled around to meet the taller man face-to-face. "You quit your post before you were relieved of it! You're breaking rules!"

Smoker lit up a cigar and looked at Nezumi, who seemed to be having a seizure, instead of meeting Luffy's accusing eyes. "I don't follow the damn rules."

Luffy continued to glare in silence, before he brightened with a laugh and nodded, "I know. That's why I like you best." Luffy then straightened for business, and Smoker placed his arms by his sides with his example. "Your report of the situation in Gosa."

"Sir, there was a total of roughly 80 survivors and a counted total of 16 bodies. Homes have been reset into their proper places, families were fed and watered, plus Roronoa took out a large sea cow monster that was swimming around the area."

Luffy's eyes flashed. "Is it edible?"

Smoker smirked. "It's edible."

"Eat it then," Luffy ordered and began to walk away after a stiff, and rather pained salute which was quickly returned. He gave the other trembling Captain an unimpressed look over his shoulder and said, "Captain Smokey. Please take care of Captain... Mouse-guy over there. Make him _comfortable_."

"Of course, Commodore."

Nezumi smiled weakly and reached out towards Luffy, pleading, "C-Commodore..."

Smoker, however, stepped between the two looking larger and taller than he was as he towered over the other Captain with a glare. "I would keep your hands to yourself. The Commodore is a busy man."

"You're... Logue Town's..."

"Now let's see. I was wandering around a bit in the area, and I happened upon a money order from one Fishman Arlong to another Captain Nezumi." Smoker breathed out his gray fumes and chewed on the end of his cigar. There really was no way out. "Care to explain this?"

"It's... not... what you think..."

Luffy stuck his tongue out, looking uncharacteristically malicious. "You have freedom to do whatever you feel is just, Captain."

Smoker grunted, "That's what I was going to do anyway. Guys like these break my flow."

"Haha. I'm going to get cleaned up with the rest of my men. Return to Gosa once you are finished here."

"Yes sir."

Luffy walked back to the waiting doctor, smiling as he heard Smoker's low, rumbling voice threatening Nezumi in the background along with the many cheers and yelled orders from the higher officers underneath him. The doctor caught sight of his pleasant grin and raised an eyebrow. "Is it okay to do that to your own people?"

"Well," Luffy started with a offhand look backwards, "Be it pirates or Marines, the worst type of scum that can roam the ocean is those who betray their nakama in the end."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that I don't care if a person is a Marine or a pirate. If they do something I don't like I'll beat them up, and that Mouse-guy," he jerk his head towards a cowering Nezumi, "wasn't only selling this village out, he was foregoing his duties as a Marine, and I can't stand traitors. So I'm letting Smokey beat him up."

The doctor walked on silently for a bit, thinking. He had seen many different types of people throughout his long life: Marines, pirates, and simple civilians. He knew to never take things at face value. Things like corrupt Marines and good-hearted pirates were just a few things to a long list of anomalies... as was this Marine Commodore. "You're not a very good Marine."

Luffy didn't bother to look offended as it was something he heard often, so he grinned widely instead, "I guess not, since I don't follow the rules right. I hate complicated things like that."

The doctor chuckled lowly, not saying anything further.

* * *

"So we recruited Koby, picked up ex-Captain Morgan, saved Commi Island, and gave Zoro a boat. Now we're back in Logue Town to drop you off. Are we missing anything?"

Smoker looked at his spare copy of the mission information and read through it quickly. "No. You got everything."

Luffy grinned widely. "So I can go back to the Grandline?"

"Hnn."

The dark-haired Commodore cheered, pumping his arms and kicking legs in celebration. The few soldiers who were trailing behind the pair smiled at their commander's good mood, relieved that he was in good enough condition to flail his limbs around like that.

"Stop moving around like that!!" Smoker yelled, not wanting to be chewed out by the ship's doctor for letting Luffy open his wounds again.

Luffy stilled, pouting at Smoker who turned his attention back to the papers in his hands. "What a poo-head you are Smokey. You wouldn't let me have my party or bring Zoro on board."

"If I recall correctly," Smoker started in a clipped tone, "it was Roronoa who refused to come along, and I won't let you have a party because we have high class criminals on board whom we must get to Mariejois immediately."

"Whatever," Luffy drawled, rolling his eyes. "You're just cranky because I'm leaving."

Smoker let out a bark of laughter. "You think I'm cranky because you're leaving?" he asked through his choked snickers. Luffy made a face and threw a solid punch at Smoker's arm, which made the man grunt in pain and stagger. "Shut up, bastard! You're gonna miss me, I know it!"

Smoker shrugged, smile wiping off his face, but his eyes were still amused. "Well, you'll come back within a month anyway. I think I see your face more often than Tashigi's."

"Ah," Luffy sighed at the reminder of the swordswoman Smoker cared for. "Maybe I should leave you behind and bring her with me someday."

He said it in jest, but Smoker's lips dipped at the corners and he glared at Luffy accusingly. "Don't involve my subordinate with your foolish missions, Commodore."

Luffy blinked, taken back by his sudden coldness. Smoker, despite Luffy's badgering and constant visits, always welcomed him warmly and came along with him if he asked. Tashigi was left behind in Logue Town as the highest ranking officer at the headquarters to watch over it in Smoker's absence. Neither of them had any problem with it, so why did Smoker object so harshly to the idea of Tashigi coming along as well...?

Luffy stared at Smoker with his wide, inquisitive eyes. '_What could it be..._' he wondered silently, looking at the other man's wide back. Luffy reached out and let his fingers curl around Smoker's shoulder, startling the other man into halting. "What are you...?!"

"Hey. If you don't want her to come then just say so," Luffy said softly, wrapping his arms around Smoker's neck. His feet were nearly dangling in midair, but Smoker could hardly feel Luffy's weight. "There's no need to be jealous. You're the only Smokey in my life."

Smoker looked straight ahead, his lips were pursed and he refused to move, not with Luffy hanging onto him like a baby monkey anyway. "I wasn't jealous."

Luffy grinned, his eyes narrowed and rather sneaky looking. "Yes you were. You were scared that I would like Tashigi more than you."

"What a stupid thing—"

"Don't worry, Smokey." Luffy slowly let himself down, pulling away from Smoker, but the Captain could still feel the warmth of the lanky body against his own. "I always take care of my _nakama_."

Smoker couldn't hide his blush anymore, so he quickly shoved Luffy away from him and strode forward, desperately trying to avoid Luffy's eyes. "Shut up, you stinkin' brat. What do you know?"

Luffy laughed off Smoker's cruel words and skipped to catch up to him. "It's okay! I understand!"

Seriously, there was too much trouble and headaches involved with this one. Smoker sometimes had three cigars in his mouth at once when dealing with Luffy, and in some particular cases, Smoker just gave up on cigars and volunteered himself for night watch duty (this was only when Luffy was getting unbearable).

But...

"Smokey, Logue Town HQ is over there! Can we have a party?"

Smoker fought down the grin that was inching its way up his lips and continued on in a steady pace. This was peace. Luffy was more than just a simple ally...

... he was _nakama_.

"Don't be stupid. Why the hell do we have to have a party?"

"To celebrate your return!"

"Or rather, celebrate your departure."

"...!! What's that supposed to mean!"

"Hey! What?! Stop that!"

"Rude! You're so rude!!"

"STOP IT!!"

-end-

So whether he be a pirate or a Marine, Luffy makes life-long friends everywhere he goes. That's the moral of the story. The end.

Next One Piece AU is a Merboy!Luffy. It'll be a SanLu.


End file.
